Queens, NY (January 14, 2014): Calling it “an important step forward for animal safety in New York State,” NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Queens) today hailed Governor’s Cuomo’s approval of a new law, co-sponsored by the Senator, which will help to crack down on pet dealers and breeders who neglect to provide humane treatment for animals in their care.

Commonly known as the “puppy mill bill,” the new law allows municipalities throughout New York to enact local laws to regulate and license pet dealers and breeders within their borders that are stronger than state regulations already on the books. No new local law, however, could be less stringent than state law.

“For many years, I have pushed for this legislation to crack down on irresponsible pet dealers and breeders who keep animals in substandard and inhumane conditions, who often wind up selling sick animals to the public, and who routinely put the money they can make from selling these innocent animals above and beyond their responsibility to care for them properly," said Addabbo, the prime co-sponsor of the new state law. "Permitting municipalities to pass strong new local laws to better address cruelty and neglect in these circumstances is a big step forward in advancing animal welfare and preventing the exploitation of dogs and cats for profit. Animals depend on us to speak for them when they are being hurt, and this law will make sure they are heard."

Addabbo noted that many pet store owners and breeders take special care to ensure the safety, health and welfare of their charges, and that trustworthy animal businesses should have nothing to fear from the new law. “If anything, increased local efforts to root out animal cruelty and neglect will prevent ‘bad apples’ in the animal business from tarring reputable dealers and breeders with the same brush,” said Addabbo, who noted that he received hundreds upon hundreds of emails and letters from constituents in favor of the new law.

“In the end, this new law will undoubtedly save the lives of many innocent animals across New York State while ensuring that pet dealers and breeders have new incentives to use the best possible practices to care for the dogs and cats they are seeking to sell to the public,” said Addabbo. “The approval of this important legislation marks the beginning of a new day in terms of greater accountability in the pet business and a greater awareness of the need to protect animals from cruelty, abuse and neglect.”